Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) filed the paperwork for a presidential exploratory committee Monday, making the long-anticipated first step toward a 2012 bid.

The timing of the announcement also provided him the opportunity to suck some air from the Democrats, who were using Tuesday’s anniversary of Massachusetts’ healthcare law to remind voters that Romney signed the bill into law.

Romney’s conservative critics have heaped criticism on his healthcare plan for its similarities to the reform bill President Obama passed through Congress, a measure despised by the GOP primary base.

Romney didn’t address that controversy in his Web announcement, instead stressing his business experience and criticizing Obama’s handling of the economy.

“From my vantage point in business and in government, I’ve become convinced that America has been put on a dangerous course by Washington politicians, and it’s become even worse during the last two years,” Romney said. “But I’m also convinced that, with able leadership, America’s best days are still ahead.

“That’s why today, I am announcing my exploratory committee for the presidency of the United States,” he added.

The announcement came as a surprise Monday afternoon, going live with virtually no advance leaks.

Romney has been a quiet presence on the campaign trail and had been seen as one of the candidates most likely to wait, perhaps until summer, to formally launch a campaign. A spokeswoman said last week that he had no major plans set for this week.

But little seemed accidental about Romney’s announcement — from the choice of a video backdrop in New Hampshire to its intense focus on jobs and the economy.

He is the second major Republican to enter the race, doing so after former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who announced in late March that he had set up a campaign.

Pawlenty likewise announced in a Web video, posted on his Facebook page. Obama announced his reelection campaign via video last Monday.

But, despite the similar methods, the videos couldn’t be more different.

Romney’s is a stripped-down, lower-production announcement compared to Pawlenty’s, whose video releases often draw comparison to big-budget action films for their sweeping music and graphics. It was also different from Obama’s, which featured supporters talking about why they back the president.

In his video, Romney is the sole participant and speaks directly to the camera throughout the entire two-and-a-half-minute presentation. The video suggests that Team Romney has learned other lessons from the 2008 campaign, when the former governor faced criticism for not being seen as authentic or for projecting discomfort in public situations.

Instead, he seems at ease and more relaxed than he’d been in appearances during his last campaign.

Romney and his handlers have taken great strides to play up his background in business, which was stressed in the announcement video.

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